Is The Recent Rise Of Feminist Music Gimmicky Or A Real Game Changer?

Being a ‘feminist’ got you stereotyped as a bra-burning radical two years ago, but now it’s a hot trend. Everyone knows that it’s uncool to shirk feminism now, regardless of how problematic their personal views are, so feminism has officially undergone a commercial makeover.

Plus, with the rise of the #MeToo movement, one of the ways in which the entertainment industry is doing lip service to feminism is with a recent increase in female-centric music. Women are singing about how angry they are and people are loving it. For women such as ourselves, such music makes for a cathartic release and is a welcome change from the male voice previously dominating the music scene. But, is this feminist music a gimmick to sell oneself in this woke world, or will it signal actual change?

What is ‘feminist’ music and who are these new feminist singers on the block?

Halsey released the song ‘Nightmare’ shortly after the announcement of abortion bans in the North American state of Georgia. Beyonce’s album Lemonade was not just about her complicated relationship with Jay-Z, but the experiences related to being a black woman. Former Disney stars Christina Aguilera and Demi Lovato’s song ‘Fall In Line’ described the exploitative manner in which the girls were moulded for showbiz. Miley Cyrus also joined the ranks with her “feminist anthem”, ‘Mother’s Daughter’; and Taylor Swift showed how much of an LGBTQ ally she is with her song ‘You Need To Calm Down’, in which she united with fellow “queen” and ex-nemesis, Katy Perry.

All of these songs detail the artists’ experiences as women who were oppressed, sidelined, marginalised, and targeted. All of these songs talk about fighting the patriarchy. This is what feminist music is. Whether these pop stars, or at least the persona they project to the public, are actually feminist, that is the question.

Who decides what is a “real” or “good” feminist?

The entertainment industry is a space of opportunism, so whatever is trendy at the moment is put up for sale. Regardless of how much money they have made in a male-dominated industry, Cardi B calling other women “stank bitches” and Nicki Minaj rapping about how a woman she doesn’t like is a ‘Stupid Hoe’ is anti-woman and problematic. No matter how much of a diva a certain female musician is, her personal successes do not make her a feminist icon. This leads us to an important question...

Are feminist popstars actually helping other women in any way?

A feminist is not just any powerful or strong woman. Feminism requires you to be a part of the larger gender equality movement. So, being a feminist requires you to be a supporter of other women, especially the disadvantaged. We can’t buy the feminist narrative these stars are selling if a part of their image is also about putting other women down.

When Demi Lovato talks about feminism and then puts Taylor Swift down for giving Ke$ha money to sue Dr. Luke saying, “money doesn’t matter,” that’s not feminist. When Taylor Swift refuses to acknowledge the racism in the VMA’s decision to sideline Nicki Minaj, that’s not feminist either.

Further, it’s important to ask who is benefitting from the achievements of these successful women. Are these “feminist icons” working with problematic and exploitative producers? Are they hiring more women to work with them? Making content about female empowerment is of no use if they don’t practice what they preach.